Lunacy And Excitement
by B.J. Sanders
Summary: PLEASE REVIEW! crossover inuyashayuu yuu hakusho Kyoki and Nekkyo go to Japan, where Kyoki falls down the well, only to meet a silver-haired dog demon who is very overprotective of his charge...
1. Chapter One

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing that is owned by somebody else, and I am leaving it at that.

CHAPTER ONE

Everything was changing. Everything was staying the same. Kyoki sighed once more as she let the events of the boring school day sink in. Two more days. That was all she had to go before she was home free. Two days time would mark the beginning of the summer months. Then the boring life style she become accustomed to would start up again.

Get up, go to school, come home, go to sleep, and then endure it for another one hundred eighty-five or so days.

Always the same routine. Day after day. Year after year.

This time though, Kyoki felt something different. Something was building up. What it was, she didn't know.

She could feel it in her blood. Her soul--her very being and spirit--called out to it. It was a beacon, a fire. And she was a moth being lured to the flame.

Too bad she had to ignore it for six more years.

In the beginning, life had seemed good...it had seemed perfect. But the fairytale dream had all but shattered completely with the sick twisted fantasies of perverted men and wandering hands that had no need to be where they were.

The memory made her shudder at the lingering thought of her first best friends stepfather. He had always given Kyoki chills, even before she knew what instincts were. She had tried her hardest to evade him, but he was like a shadow, following her every move.

After several attempts, she had finally decided to tell Stephanie, his wife. She tried to tell him to stop, but he denied any and all accusations. And he still hadn't discontinued the disturbing past time.

Stephanie tried, though even she was scared of his temperament. All in the household knew how dangerous he was if too many buttons were pushed, and no body wanted that. Billy had received a blow from the whip for not knowing how to use it. D.C., or Destiny Christine, had to duck out of the path of a flying fork because she had prepared his dinner incorrectly. Stephanie gained the verbal assault for not acting as a proper housewife and keeping the house clean.

He had scared Kyoki to no end, and she was eternally grateful when he decided to leave.

Her childhood had been a fair one, but in tenth grade, the same grade she was about to leave, something strange happened. She began to feel the emotions of those around her, expressing it through poetry and songs. Kyoki knew it wasn't her own: she had neither experienced heartbreak nor love. She didn't even believe in the latter, so how could she be familiar with it?

She felt as if she had no one. Her friends had moved a long while ago and, though they still talked and wrote letters, it wasn't the same. It never would be. The scars on her right arm over the pulsing blue vein proved that. Too bad she hadn't cut deeper...

Even her family was leaving her. They laughed at her fears, the way she acted and the way she dressed. They laughed at who she was. Sure, they probably thought it all to be one humongous façade, but it hurt, damn it!

It had progressed to the point where Kyoki had to cry herself to sleep every night, wishing something would happen. Anything. No matter what it was. She would sacrifice anything and everything. Not like it really mattered anyway. She had nothing to lose. No friends. No family. No sanity. No emotions. Not for the human race anyway...Well, an exception for children.

She couldn't explain what she felt that day, or that week, or that month. She just had a gut feeling.

Kyoki hummed the tune to one of her songs, "Fearless Desire", as she walked home, the lyrics running through her head.

"_Hold me tight_

_As we watch the lights display in the sky_

_Flashing in the clouds above_

_You whisper into my ear And I haven't anymore fear_

_Lay me back in the grass,_

_You're lips on my lips, you're hips on mine_

_As your hand slides up my thigh_

_Your kisses still linger upon my fingertips_

_Your marks lay across my neck_

_I am yours, as you are mine_

_My home is in your arms_

_My mind is blank, I cannot think straight As you hold me tight_

_And watch the lights display in the sky flashing in the clouds above_

_You whisper into my ear And I haven't anymore fear_

_Take me to your bed And lay with me all night_

_Do with me as you like I am at your mercy_

_Your lips travel over my skin Your tongue trails across my body_

_My breath quickens My heart stops As you hold me tight_

_And watch the lights display in the sky flashing in the clouds above_

_You whisper into my ear and I haven't anymore fear_

_My body screams as you press into me_

_And you cover my cries with your mouth over mine_

_Feeding a fire with Fearless Desire"_

Her mother would probably be mad at her for not taking the bus, but Kyoki had the great desire to walk, even though it was a four-mile hike to the house. Oh well, her feet, her time. Her life. Though sometimes it didn't seem like it.

Everyone looked up to her to make a fortune, make straight A's and good grades, to be an exact replica of their dreams and desires. But Kyoki didn't want that.

What she wanted was to follow her heart, to fulfill the sudden aspiration to run away and head to Los Angeles for some unknown reason. She had no more rational thoughts. All she had anymore was insanity, and she reveled in it.

A silent tear traveled down her rosy cheek as she remembered her normal, exciting, and fun life, when she was naïve about the Truth. The truth about where you went when you die.

Every one had always said, "If you're a good little girl, you'll get into Heaven. But if you're a bad girl, you'll go to Hell, where the Devil resides. You don't want to live with Satan, do you?"

Kyoki remembered shaking her head at the statement, not wanting that evil beast of a man--if that was even what he was--to be granted satisfaction. However, lately, she had been leaning the other way. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to meet her Dark Maker? After all, it was never written that Lucifer was evil, he just questioned God's authority, and got thrown out because of it. So he might not be as bad as everyone said, besides, all great leaders, good or bad, have to fall at one point or another, right?

She chuckled lightly at that thought. Who knows, maybe one day her wish would come true...

Luckily, she made it home before her mother. Kyoki was quite surprised, especially by the fact that she had walked four miles in two and a half hours, give or take several minutes.

She quickly retrieved the dead spider she had drowned in bug spray the night before from the shower, shuddering and muttering things about "stupid perverted arachnids" and their poor choice of timing. No matter, she wrapped it in toilet paper and flushed it down the toilet, just in time to hear the boxer dog, Rocky Bal Boxer, barking at the burgundy Nissan X-Terra pulling into the mulch driveway.

She hurried into her room after mixing her mother a drink: a shot of Vodka and approximately two cups of diet coke.

Several hours later, as she was strumming her guitar lazily, her phone rang. Kyoki cautiously picked it up surprised someone had called.

"Hello?" she asked suspiciously, as if it were some kind of prank.

"Konnichi wa, tomodachi!" the voice on the other line called out, obviously speaking Japanese, a language both she and Nekkyo had learned independently. They currently blamed it on anime, manga, and fan fiction.

"Konnichi wa, Nekkyo! Doshitano?" Kyoki asked.

"Nothing much," her friend answered truthfully. "What's up with you?"

"Same as you," she sighed. "My life has become even more boring than I thought possible. Gods, I can't wait till we get to L.A!"

"Me neither, but I gotta ask you: Why do you wanna go so bad? It's like you think the sooner we get there, the better life will become." Nekkyo paused a moment before continuing, swallowing the piece of chocolate chip cookie she had just eaten. "It's gonna be even worse there. We don't even know anyone like we do here."

"You and I finally decided on a nice place, don't you dare back out on me now," Kyoki warned with a growl.

"I'm not!" Nekkyo retorted, ashamed of the assumption her best and only friend had made. "I'm just telling you that it's going to be hard. What if we can't pay for the rent? Or somebody robs us? What are we going to do then?"

"You're such a pessimist. You're only thinking about the bad things, think about some of the good stuff, too." Kyoki was going to leave it at that, but suddenly was hit with something that would make her friend laugh. "Like finding a nice young lad to sire that blue eyed baby boy your father wants so much and the one I had a dream about. I'm sure we could hold auditions like we did for the band. 'Good day, sir. Do you wear boxers or briefs? Is the blue-eyed genotype in your family recessive or dominant? Can my best friend bear your child?'"

Laughter was heard from both ends of the phone line.

"Who knows," she continued, "Maybe you could turn into a female Miroku and ask that question as an occupation, and then say, 'I am but a humble servant of Insanity and my crazy father's will for me to have a son before he dies.' I'm sure that would go over real well with the press!"

The mirth and amusement continued to pass through the receiver until they hung up, both saying their farewells to each other until they spoke again.

Kyoki sat for a moment in silence, reminiscing about how her Sister-chan could lighten the mood so much with a mere conversation. Sometimes it was amazing how much a simple call could do to someone's psyche.

0

Kurama chuckled at the antics of Yususke and the current naïveté Kuwabara was showing off as the two argued over something he had long since lost track of. He looked over at Hiei, who was sitting in a shadowed corner of the room, glaring in aggravation at the two humans that had decided not to heed his earlier warning of keeping their mouth's shut.

Fortunately for them, he was in no mood to waste his time on simple ningen matters that had no meaning to him. He was, however, rather impatient today, his rage slowly rising at the absent-minded toddler, Koenma, who was the current ruler of Spirit World.

The grand entrance of said child', made Yususke and Kuwabare jump; Hiei and Kurama remained un-phased. The shocked duo glared at Koenma, but he seemed not to notice.

"Hmmm...Let's see here..." he murmured, glancing briefly at the group in front of him at the head of his desk. "...No, that wouldn't do...Well...No...How about...Nope, too insufficient...There's always..."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" yelled Yususke, cutting the child Prince off. "Did you call us here for an important mission, or what?!"

"Actually, I called you here because I sensed a strange aura around your cousin's shrine, Yususke. Every now and then, a demon aura shows up. Then, somehow, they miraculously disappear and..."

"And, let me guess, you want us to go investigate it, right?" interrupted Yususke, sighing as Koenma nodded his head.

"Yes, that's exactly what I want, Yususke." He turned to the side, calling, "Botan!"

"Yes, Koenma, sir?" the blue haired ferry girl piped happily, appearing in a pink kimono, and hovering in mid air on her oar.

"Open a portal to the Higurashi shrine for Yususke and the others, and make sure they don't get into _too_ much trouble."

"Oh...Uh, yes, sir," she replied before transporting herself and the four boys to the shrine.

What they saw made Yususke groan and mumble, "Oh, damn..."

Ahead of them were numerous steps, gratefully not as many as Genkai had, but all the same too many.

They marched their way up, Botan changing to look more human, and Hiei already resting upon the limbs of the God Tree. As they came to the large doors that made the shrine's gates, they saw an old man sweeping. Yususke walked up to him.

"Hey! Gramps, is Kagome home?" he asked.

The old man looked up at him, leaning on to his broom as he stood as straight as he could manage.

"I'm afraid she isn't feeling well. Her arthritis is really getting to her, and..."

"Grand_pa!_" Kagome chastised, walking from the well house with her large yellow backpack hanging casually over her shoulder.

"Now it's arthritis?" Yususke asked, rolling his eyes at the senile fool that stood before him. "I'm surprised he hasn't given' you cancer yet..."

He trailed off as he saw his cousin's gleeful blue-gray eyes staring at him.

"Yususke?" she asked, disbelieving, in a whisper before lunging at him and strangling him with a hug. "I can't believe it's you! It's been so long! Why didn't you come and visit? Oh, I have so much to tell you!"

She drug him inside, the others following, while Kagome's grandpa resumed sweeping. She told them about the well, and it's time traveling ability to go back five hundred years to Sengoku Jidai; about Inuyasha and how he was helping her find the shards of the Sacred Shekon-no-tama, which she had incidentally shattered; about Sango, the last Taijiya--with exception of her brother, Kohaku, who was at Naraku's mercy--and about Miroku, the Buddhist monk who inevitably had _two_ curses upon his hands: the wind tunnel, and his groping problem'. Then she told them about Shippou, the small fox kit that she and Inuyasha had rescued from the Thunder Brothers.

She told them of Naraku, how he desired to posess the jewel and taint it; of Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha's older half-brother, who wanted to kill him to gain the Tetsusaiga, who hated humans with a passion and somehow managed to travel with the small human girl, Rin; of Kouga, the leader of the wolf pack, and his unhealthy obsession with Kagome.

Yususke, Kuwabara, and Botan just blinked as Kagome stared at them and Kurama and Hiei, waiting for a response. Silence ensued, creating a pregnant pause.

"Wow..." Kuwabara sighed, seemly over taken by the girl's story.

"Oh, my!" Botan suddenly exclaimed. "What will Koenma think when he finds out you didn't have to fight anyone this time!"

The front door burst open, someone calling Kagome's name.

The girl in question began fuming, then shouted, "Inuyasha, sit boy!"

A silver haired boy slammed into the floor just as he was entering the living room.

"What was that for?!" he yelled as he jumped up. "I didn't do anything this time!"

"I haven't even been here for a full hour, Inuyasha! And already you're trying to drag me back to the feudal era!" Kagome retorted. Loudly.

"I was not!" Inuyasha openly denied, his furry ears flattening atop his head. "I was coming to tell you that Sango and Miroku have to check out a demon sighting in a nearby village!"

"Oh..."

Kagome was taken aback by his answer. Normally, he would have come only to drag her back, or to check up on her while she dreamed, making it his nightmare of course.

"Feh. Who are they?" he asked, looking at and pointing to the small group staring blankly at them.

"Oh! This is my cousin Yususke and his friends...um, what were your names again?"

Kurama chuckled, while Yususke and Kuwabara had wide grins plastered across their faces.

"I'm Botan," the blue-haired ferry girl replied happily, before introducing the others. "This is Kuwabara. Kurama. And Hiei," she said, pointing to each one in turn.

The tall, orange haired Kuwabara grinned even wider. Kurama, the red headed green-eyed boy, bowed politely, smiling slightly. Hiei, the short fire apparition, just averted his red gaze.

It wasn't long before they all went home: Yususke to the house he shared with Atsuko, his mother; Kuwabara to the place he live at with his sister, Shizuru; Kurama to his mother's place, with Hiei teleporting behind him through the trees.

Kurama knew Hiei felt out of place in the Human Realm. He did too, at first. But he had someone to care, someone who was there for him, even when he didn't want her to. He had a mother. Hiei had no one.

He could have a sister, but he doesn't want the sweet and caring ice maiden to know that he is her brother. Hiei was hiding his identity from her. He didn't want her to be hurt, and he didn't want to seem weak by caring for someone. But someday he would have to face the truth, and how he dreaded the day...

Kurama entered his room, having a short chat with his mother on the way. Hiei sat outside on the tree branch, staring in through the window.

_Let me in, fox_, Hiei said telepathically.

The glass barrier slid open, allowing him to enter the chambers.

_I am surprised, Hiei,_ Kurama began, also within the confines of the mind, _I did not think you would come here. You have been a bit agitated lately, and I am beginning to wonder why._

_You mean your Kitsune curiosity is getting the better of you._

_Oh, he's a smart one,'_ Youko purred. _Can we keep him?'_

_I'm not in the mood for your sick Kitsune fantasies, fox,_ Hiei growled, fire alighting his crimson eyes. _I came to talk, not visualize what you are obviously thinking._

_Oh? And what would that be?'_ Youko asked innocently while sending obsenity through the fire apparitions brain.

_Could you two kindly stop arguing? You're getting as bad as Yususke and Kuwabara,_ Kurama interjected, cutting off the verbal and very visual war going on between the spirit inhabiting his body and the short demon standing beside the window. Unfortunately, the hostilities continued.

"What am I going to do with you two?" Kurama sighed out, running a hand through his regal red mane.


	2. Chapter Two

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing that is owned by somebody else, and I am leaving it at that.

CHAPTER TWO

College was finally over. It had taken a little longer than expected, but school was now finished. All Kyoki and Nekkyo had to do was pack, and they were off.

Nekkyo had studied to be a computer technician, with an Associate's in hairdressing. Kyoki had gone into research and photography, taking a few classes with her sister, too, in supernatural studies.

For those four and a half—almost five—years, they had lived in a trailer park, the closest one they could find to the college. They had strange neighbors, and were often asked to watch over the little ones.

Nekkyo got a job at a computer software shop, learning more and completing the course sooner than expected. Kyoki got a job at a local bar. It wasn't the best pay, but she survived. She also worked part-time during school in the library at the college.

Now they were going to move to L.A., city of Lost Angeles. Hopefully they would begin their journey within the next few hours, but at the pace they were loading the truck, it wouldn't be for another week.

"Joey! A little help here?" Nekkyo shouted at the boy lounging aimlessly in the dark blue vehicle, playing with the dials of the radio. She was struggling with a large and rather heavy box, trying to find the steps with her foot so she wouldn't trip and fall.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "I'm comin'."

He walked over to her and grabbed the box, right before Kyoki ran into her, causing them both to fall down the steps.

"Perfect timing!" Joey told them, pushing the box into the bed of the truck, then grabbing Kyoki's and doing the same. "You know, you really shouldn't run with heavy boxes, Kyoki. You'll probably end up tripping and breaking something. And I don't mean from the box."

Kyoki and Nekkyo untangled them selves and stood, dusting each other off.

"Sorry, but I'm really excited about going," Kyoki explained in a rush, returning to the house for another package.

"She's only been wanting to go for six or seven years," Nekkyo informed Joey, but was corrected by Kyoki with her hands full.

"Seven years, three months, and twenty-four days. Twenty-five, now."

"She has this down to an art, doesn't she?" Joey whispered to Nekkyo.

"Oh, yeah..." she whispered back.

They finished loading the boxes and left after saying their goodbyes. They passed many different types of scenery, stopping for snap shots and pit stops. Sometimes, during the nights of their long journey, they would sleep under the stars, staring up at the midnight sky until the mosquitoes drove them into their tents.

The soft summer breeze ruffled Kyoki's short reddish brown hair as her emerald gaze drifted over the light-reflecting dust particles light years away, sighing at the serene beauty of it all. She snuggled deeper into her feather down pillow, turning to look at Nekkyo, who also had her blue eyes on the cloudless heavens, her dark brown-almost-black hair moving with the slight wind.

It was amazing how beautiful something so simple could be.

In the city, this view was next to impossible. It was a time to just leave the past behind, with all the bad things. Where you could only think of the future, of what tomorrow would bring. If only the past could be left behind...

"Stop it!" Nekkyo scolded, surprising Kyoki. "I know you're thinking about it and I want you to stop!"

"How do you always know?"

"I'm psychic, remember? And so are you when you want to be."

"Don't remind me..." Kyoki mumbled, turning onto her side.

"You're the one thinking about the things you shouldn't be, Kyo," Nekkyo told her.

"I know, Neko. It's just hard for me to forget."

"Usually it's harder for you to remember..." She trailed off as she smacked her forearm, then her calf. "I think it's time to head in. I'm being eaten alive! Stop it, you freakin' She-Devils!"

"It's what they do, Neko. You can't stop nature," Kyoki reminded her as she picked up her blanket and sheet from the ground and headed to the temporary shelter.

"Don't you think Mother Nature could have made them a little nicer?" Neko asked, following Kyoki to the tent.

Kyoki thought of a smart reply, but didn't feel like laughing or arguing with her friend, so she settled on, "The world doesn't work that way. The big fish eat the little fish, the ones that live run until they're either caught or grow to be another big fish."

"You have very weird philosophy," Neko told her friend as they both settled down to sleep. She received no reply as a howl sounded in the distance and the sound of leathery wings flapping against each other filled the air as the bats headed out for food.

They stopped in all the states they passed through, collecting photos and souvenirs. Sometimes, they even took a detour to a state that was out of their way.

Finally, the extensive expedition ended. They made it to L.A.

"It's a bit run down, but it's supposed to be cheap," Nekkyo stated, staring up at the large building before them.

"Well, then," Kyoki began, walking up the steps and opening the door. "Let's head in."

0

"I don't see _why_ we have to keep coming here," Yususke complained, walking up the shrine steps. He was joined by three other boys his age, who wisely blocked him out of their heads. "I mean, Geez! She finished collecting all the Shikkon shards, and everyone—from what I've heard—is getting along. But Pacifier Breath has us babysitting Kagome like she can't take care of herself!"

He trailed off as they came to the shrine gates. Yususke waved at the ancient man sweeping as he knocked on the door to the main house. Mrs. Higurashi greeted them.

"Hello. You're looking for Kagome, correct? One moment, she's on the phone with Souta, but you may come in," she said as she led them to the living room, catching the end of the phone conversation.

"...Neighbors are weird? How weird...how many times?!" She exclaimed.

"What's going on?" Kuwabara asked Yususke as Mrs. Higurashi left, sighing and shaking her head in an exasperated way.

"How am I supposed to know?" Yususke retorted. "Just listen and find out!"

"She ran into the hall, wearing only a towel, because a spider was in the bathtub? Three times?" Kagome couldn't believe what Souta was telling her, no matter how hilarious it was. "Well, how long have they been there? Five days?"

"This is funny," Kuwabara laughed.

"You don't even know what's going on, stupid," Yususke told him, rolling his brown eyes.

"Hn. Idiot," Hiei added.

"Your friend Jon had to go kill it? Hah! That's funny! She's ange-what? Scared of men? Only certain one's? That_ is_ weird. Maybe I'll get to meet them soon when I come to visit. Okay, well I have to go, Yususke's here...Uh-huh...Buh-Bye, Souta...Later."

Kagome put down the phone, turning around to four thoroughly confused and wide-eyed boys.

"What—was—that?" Yususke asked slowly, raising an eyebrow.

"That?" Kagome inquired. "That was just Souta." Seeing the questioning looks she was receiving, she continued. "He got a scholarship in the U.S. and moved to Los Angeles. He's supposed to be there for a few more years, but he's coming home for the holidays."

"...And the towel girl in the hall with the spider..." Yususke asked at length, truly not understanding what his cousin was trying to say, no matter how hard her tried.

"Oh! She's his neighbor. It's kind of funny, too, because she's scared of spiders and she doesn't like to let men touch her, even though she make's an exception for Jon, Souta's room-mate who also happens to be a demon, and she's getting closer to Souta. Her sister lives with her. Souta says they're really weird..."

"Kago_me_!" a voice called from upstairs, cutting her off.

"Was that Inuyasha?" Kurama questioned, eyebrows raised.

"Uhmm..." Kagome scratched the back of her head and smiled sheepishly, not knowing how to answer.

"Kago_me_!" Inuyasha called down again. "I still can't find my pants!"

She paused in her actions and blushed a deep crimson when Yususke eyed her knowingly.

"What?!" she exploded. "It's not like you've never done it!"

"Never done what?" Inuyasha asked as he stood at the base of the stairs in the doorway to the living room, wearing only a towel around his waist. His golden gaze drifted over the four boys staring at him, to a seriously red Kagome, before finally noticing his state of undress and calmly replied, "Hey. Umm...what are you guys doing here?"

The Spirit Detective team fought hard no to burst out laughing. Instead, Yususke made a quick retreat, "Well, since you two seem to be fine—and we are obviously interrupting something—we will be on our way."

The four of them bid Kagome and Inuyasha adieu before hastily exiting the shrine grounds.

"You still haven't asked her, have you?" Kuwabara questioned Yususke as he saw the contemplative look upon his friends face.

Yususke had been dating Keiko for the past several years and had finally decided he loved her, however he wasn't sure how to ask 'the question' without her rejecting him. He was rather sure she would because he kept breaking their dates short, and he was gone a lot more, now that he didn't have school to deal with. Besides, he had to have the right settings, an the tone and feel had to...had to...

"I'm going to ask her tomorrow night, and damn Koenma to Hell if he interrupts it!" Yususke balled up is fist determinedly and walked away with Kuwabara following.

Kurama groaned and let his head fall back in a tired and lazy manner.

Hiei arched an eyebrow at him. "What's the matter with you, fox?"

Kurama glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and groaned again. "Mother is pressuring me into getting married. She wanted me to get with Nora. You know, that girl I dated for a while." He continued as Hiei nodded. "It wasn't so bad. Youko even like her..."

'_The only time I liked her was when she was naked, in bed, under me.'_

"...But she was currently in another relationship that she neglected to tell me about." Kurama finished as if her hadn't heard Youko interrupt.

"Your human matters are of very little relevance to me, but it is indeed a comical relief to hear about them," Hiei told him as they made their was home.

Neither of them noticed the sinister force lurking in the distance not too far away from them, and its evil cackle escaped them both.


	3. Chapter Three

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing that is owned by somebody else, and I am leaving it at that.

CHAPTER THREE

Kagome had finally made it to Los Angeles. She had to say it was indeed a large city. Inuyasha hadn't wanted her to go though. Not without him, anyways. Oh well, he'd get over it soon enough. He always did.

She got to meet Jon, who was from England. What part, she didn't know.

Not long after she got settled into the small apartment, a pounding on the door had sounded and a girl not much younger that herself came bursting in, wearing only a towel and mumbling about perverted spiders in the bathtub.

Souta went up to her, trying to hold back his giggles, and began slowly, trying to catch his breath, "You died your hair, didn't you?"

Kyoki had decided to grow her hair out and had dyed it black. She figured she was compensating for Nekkyo, who had cut her hair short, making it chin level.

Her hair was currently damp, and her bangs were plastered to her forehead with the rest covering her back. She turned to Souta, her heart pounding in her ears out of terror.

"Yes," Kyo answered him cynically. "Is it that obvious?"

He looked at her dryly. "Well, I never know with you and Neko! Some days it's streaked red and blue, other days its green and purple, then other times it's totally freaky!"

"Chill, Souta," Kagome warned as his arms started to flail to show his emphasis. "You're Kyoki, I presume."

"And you are Kagome."

"I'm Nekkyo and this good fellow here is the Almighty Spider Exterminator!" Another girl exclaimed as she introduced Jon—again. He bowed low, his blond hair falling into his blue eyes, a wide grin plastered on his face.

It had been a strange first meeting, but they all became fast friends. Nekkyo and Kyoki had shown her around L.A., went shopping together, even had a girls night out! In fact, they went to the same bar Kyo worked at. That evening was hilarious!

The three of them got up on stage, singing and dancing...and getting major applause.

A few days ago, Kagome had asked the two of them to go back to Japan with her.

"I want you to meet Inuyasha. He's sort of my husband," she explained.

"Inuyasha?" Neko asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.

"As in half dog demon Inuyasha?" Kyo finished.

Kagome nodded slowly, her raven hair bobbing slightly. "How do you two know him?"

"If I remember correctly, Kagome Higurashi is our pen pal, and it just occurred to me that_ you_ are Kagome Higurashi," Neko supplied.

Kagome was surprised. Other than her family, these two were the first she had told about her adventures in Sengoku Jidai. She had no idea they would end up to be Souta's neighbors! Who would have thought?

They readily agreed, though they had some trouble with getting Nekkyo to board the plane. It wasn't so hard when Kagome began to explain some things about her home and her friends. Besides, she'd be aloud to get something into her system once the plane was in the air and to be seated on the aisle—far away from the window, which made her nerves settle a bit.

Before they knew it, they were in Japan, exiting the plane and clearing the ramp. There was a loud declaration of joy from Neko as the three women walked to the awaiting crowd of people.

"I made it!" she yelled, throwing her hands into the air and jumping around, obviously proud of herself.

"Yeah, now all you have to do is make it through the plane ride back," Kyo said, ruining Neko's mood, who crossed her arms and looked away as if she were angry, then mumbled, "Now who's the pessimist?"

Then turning back to poke at Kyoki, she began again. "You were the one that looked as if you had never seen the light of the sun before, and kept turning off the light so you couldn't see..."

"Actually," Kyo corrected, "That was so I _could_ see. And there are two reasons for my lack of color. One: Jon bit me a few days ago and ever since, I've been feeling woozy. Two: There was a very dark cloud that could rival the color of my room sitting just outside my window, making me rather uneasy. Oh! And _then_ there's the fact that you were squeezing my hand like a stress ball!"

"You...You! Grrr!"

"You know you love me," Kyo said sweetly.

"Only because you keep me busy," Nekkyo retorted bluntly.

At this, the five men waiting for them raised their eyebrows, along with Kagome, while the two conversing began to laugh.

"Well," Kyoki started, trying to catch her breath, "I guess it's not as bad as 'I can't get it up!'"

They broke into hysterics again, then noticed the group staring at them and straightened out the best they could.

"Sorry, inside joke," the two girls said in unison, trying not to snicker.

"Hello, ever..." Kagome began, but was cut off by a burst out from Neko.

"He _bit _you?!" She waited a few moments; reading Kyoki's thoughts as if they were as clear as day. "You _provoked _him to bite you?! You cut yourself on 'accident' and then let him bite you?! Oh, sure! I'll really believe that you didn't know he was biting you until he actually bit you! You...Him...What?! Huh? He's...Really? He's bi?"

Kyoki nodded, seeming to be the first time she was actually involved in this one-sided conversation. There was one thing Kagome didn't quite understand, as well as the others listening in.

"Where did he bite you?" she asked.

Kyoki suddenly reddened as she tried to run, though getting nowhere due to the fact that the collar of her shirt was being firmly held by Neko, and saw Hiei smirk. Finally having enough, she whirled on him; scowl set upon her face, finger in his.

"Oh, you just shut up, you sadistic little fire demon!"

That seemed to wipe the look away, only to replace it with a deadly glare met with her own, just as fierce. But she forgot someone: Nekkyo, who could also read her mind.

"Whoa! Nice first kiss, Kyo! Very nice!" Then to the others, she said, "Jonny boy bit her on the tongue. Tell me, Kiko, did it hurt?"

Seething, Kyoki slowly turned, and in a deadly calm and sweet voice, told Nekkyo, "No, but you are." Then proceeded to chase her around the airport.

Somehow, the combined efforts of Inuyasha, Yususke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, and Kagome managed to stop them before they hurt each other seriously. They loaded themselves into a minivan, Kyoki stuck between Hiei and Kurama, with Kuwabara by the door, and Nekkyo sitting between the window and Yususke; Inuyasha in front with Kagome driving.

"Ya' know, Kiko," Neko began, "I'm really glad those spiders weren't poisonous."

"Me, too, considering you fed them to my Fluffy-chan."

"_Fluffy_-chan?" Inuyasha questioned, unsure if he had heard right.

"Yes, _Fluffy-chan_. He's my pet cobra, thank you very much."

Yususke, listening from the middle seat, began to laugh. "Why would you name a snake _Fluffy_ when it doesn't have fur?"

"Because," Nekkyo supplied, "She said that she wanted a large three-headed dog like the one Hades has in the underworld, or like the one Hagrid from Harry Potter had. But since the apartment manager didn't let cageless animals inside the complex, we decided on snakes. She, being as silly as she is, named it Fluffy. And no, Inuyasha, I do not think it has anything to do with your brother."

"How--?"

"—Did she know? She's the psychic in our odd little village of idiots, and I'm the empathic, unfortunately."

"That's how you matched my glare," Hiei observed.

Kyoki took her head off of Kurama's shoulder to look at the little demon. "Yeah," she said. "I felt your rage, what little bit it was, and channeled it back at you through myself."

"But you are untrained," Kurama stated. It wasn't a question, but Kyoki decided to answer as if it were.

"Yes, and again, unfortunately. The waves of emotion I felt from Neko and her Mom, through Neko and Ivy, brought me to tears. It's why I've never enjoyed being anywhere near fights, or anywhere near men, well touching distance anyway. No offense to you guys."

"Speaking of men, Kiko," Kagome asked, keeping her eyes on the road, "Why aren't you acting like you did with the other men with these guys?"

"That's easy," Neko jumped in. "They're 'Double-D's'. 'Decent, and Demon.' More or less, anyway."

At the shrine, Kyoki and Nekkyo were given spare rooms to stay in, on opposite sides of the hall. By dinner time, the three girls were tired and headed up to their rooms, but no matter how fatigued Kyoki felt, she couldn't get to sleep, even after rotating her feet one hundred times clockwise, then one hundred time counter-clockwise. Finally, however, after a few long hours of listening to Inuyasha snore on one side of the wall, and Grandpa on the other, she fell into a restless slumber.

She tossed and turned all night, kicking the walls and tearing the sheets on which she slept. It would be utterly amazing if the room were not destroyed by the time she woke. Ill at ease and tense as she was, she slept.

She slept through a book being tossed out the window next to the head of her bed; slept through the pain of a shard of glass tearing at her feet as she stepped out the window; slept as she floated down to land softly on the ground, though leaving bloody foot prints behind as she walked to the well house.

She pulled the door open with a small squeak of the hinges and entered the darkness of the shed. Kiko sat upon the edge of the well, feeling the pull of magic at its base. Listening to her heart and the power pulsing at her temple, she slipped to the bottom, the beautiful purplish light encasing her before she hit the sturdy foundation.

She came to the other side, an open sky above her instead of a wooden roof, and seemed to be lifted by the wind out of the well. It carried forward, into the woods, but not before the moonlight found the silver chunk of hair covering her red left eye.

When Nekkyo awoke the next morning, she knew there was something wrong; she couldn't feel Kiko's presence in the house anymore, nor on the entire property. It was possible she had went to the store or something to help with the shopping, but Neko still should have felt the small thread that had bonded them. The only thing there was was nothing.

It seemed as though she did not exist in this time anymore.

Suddenly, Nekkyo remembered the well that was on the grounds and became terrified that the impossible had happened.

Without thinking about her state of dress, she bound down the stairs in a fast flurry to find herself as the center of attention...in her underwear. Kagome pointed up, in the direction of the spare rooms, telling Neko to go get dressed, while trying—and failing miserably—to cover the eyes of all the men in the room.

Nekkyo shrugged it off. "I've been less dressed than this in a room with far more men that were definitely more perverted than these guys." Waving her hands to clear the air of the previous conversation, she continued. "Anyway, Kiko's gone. I can't feel her anywhere, and the only explanation I have for that is the well, which is impossible because it only works with you and Inuyasha."

Kagome looked towards the floor, coffee cup in hand, and sighed like she didn't want to say what she was about to.

"We found on of Kyoki's books outside, a little shredded having obviously been thrown through a closed window, on which we found blood on the pieces we found on the ground; bloody path of feet belonging to Kyoki leading to the well...and into it. We're not sure how it's possible as of yet, but Koenma is trying to help us find a plausible explanation."

"We can't sit around here and do nothing in the meanwhile!" Neko shouted, feeling the fury building within her. "There are...things in those woods that she doesn't know about, and she can't defend herself if she gets attacked. The only power she has other than her empathy is a small bit of telekinesis, which isn't much considering she can't control anything she does! I've made her mad, I should know!"

She turned on her heel, flinging her hands as she marched back to her room, causing the pipe under the sink to explode, scaring everyone out of their wits, not expecting the loud noise. Neko looked back down at them, smiling innocently.

"Oops..." she tried, and then rushed to get dressed.

Kyoki rolled over, basking in the warmth of her blankets as she tried to burrow deeper, but there was nothing covering her. She slowly opened her eyes, turning away from the blaring light peeking through the canopy. She was sprawled out, arms wide as she played with the velvety grass tickling her palm.

_Grass? But what happened to my bed, the room I was in last night?_

She stood, or tried to, but fell to her knees in the attempt. Kiko spread her legs out forward, staring at the blood that covered her feet, cuts covering their bottoms.

_Great, just great! Now I have to walk and I can't. Well, not without pain, anyway. Grrr! You stupid sleepwalker!_

She got up again, this time careful to keep her weight in her knees and back, and looked for a Y shaped twig. Finding one, she cautiously lifted it, holding the two ends that were closest together. She felt the spirit of the waterfinder, pulling her to her destination as she heard the sounds of a stream ahead.

Kyo meticulously set it down once more, silently thanking the spirit that had helped her, and moved onward, sitting herself on a large boulder at the side of the rivulet, gently setting one foot in after the other.

The water was cool and cleansing, seeming to be untouched by the civility of man, as it lulled her into a light doze and laid her back against the boulder, unaware of the eight eyes watching her.


	4. Chapter Four

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing that is owned by somebody else, and I am leaving it at that. Please review...I really want to know what you think.

CHAPTER FOUR

Kyoki let the water wash away the blood caused by the glass of her window.

Never, in her range of memory, had she ever felt this relaxed. She had let down her guard completely, something Nekkyo had told her to never do. At that moment, though, she didn't care. At that moment, she didn't notice the exceedingly _humongous _arachnid sneaking up on her from behind, until he was right above her, and she opened her eyes.

At first, she didn't know how to react. She wasn't sure if she was still dreaming, or if it was some strange figment of her wild imagination.

_Okay, so there is a super-sized, giant of a spider staring down at me, with toxic acid dripping from it's Great Dane sized fangs, melting the rock that I am currently lying upon. Should I run and scream, or say 'Hi!' How about both, ne?_

She looked up at it, as if she were looking at Echidna, mother of all monsters, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Hello," she said. "Now that I said that, I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave, okay? Not to be mean, or anything, because I have nothing against _you _personally and I can't believe I'm about to say this but, have you ever thought about going to a dentist to get that gum disorder looked at? I'm serious, man, and that is too."

The large monster growled, spewing the deadly saliva everywhere, looking directly at Kiko.

_Uh-oh...I think I'm in trouble._

"It was really nice meeting you, but I think I hear my guardian angel calling, so, _yeah_, later, dude!"

Kyoki sprang to her feet, ignoring the pain searing through her veins as she ran, the large spider hot on her trail.

She turned through the trees, swerving around large rocks in the way, watching as all the little animals scurried in opposite directions. Kiko passed by a deer, loping away from the racket that was passing it. She didn't have the time or the concentration to wonder why she had just outrun a wild animal that should have been running far more quickly than her.

She made her way into clearing, turning to see the spider was still at her feet, and cursed her luck.

_Wouldn't you know? Anytime I'm comfortable and near water, there always has to be a spider. This time, though, it couldn't be the size of the one's back home, could it? No, it had to be big enough to rival a Mack truck, damn it! Curses, curses, curses!_

She whirled around just in time to find her nose inches away from a plate of spiky gray armor, worn by a silver-haired...being, bloody sword in hand. Kyo realized a moment later, just who's blood that was and slowly turned around, face-to-eight eyes with the spider, who had babies crawling out of her back...and straight towards Kyoki, who suddenly became dizzy, falling backwards into her savior's arms. She looked up, her red eyes meeting gold.

She saw and felt so many emotions pass through one glance, than she herself had felt in her own lifetime. The sensations made her knee's weak, making her liberator fully support her as she closed her eyes tight and clenched a fist full of silky white kimono, trying to make the vibe of feelings stop, to concentrate on her breathing, and to forget about the spiders crawling up her legs.

She didn't have to worry about his feelings for long though, because all of hers came flooding back as the baby arachnids bit into the flesh of her waist and chest, arms and legs and neck, spreading their poison through her.

It was too much for Kyoki to take in at once, the emotions of the man, the poison and shock of the spiders, the strange new place she felt at peace in.

"Perhaps," she whispered hoarsely, her head leaning back to look into the face of her knight in shining armor, "Perhaps it wasn't the best plan to be bitten by a vampire hybrid...Damn that _Kyuketsuki_..."

Her eyes closed as she trailed off, not noticing the surprise of the demon lord who held her. This strange woman, of the likes he had never seen before, had just spoken of a vampire, _kyuketsuki_ in his tongue.

He turned to Rin, the young woman sitting upon the back of Ah-Un, staring wide-eyed at the corpse of the once-was mother.

"Rin." He spoke with a cold voice, though warm to the girl's growing ears. "Help her. You know what to do. I won't be gone long."

He set Kyoki down at the two-headed dragons feet, trying not to notice the thin black nightgown immodestly covering her. She was a strange one, not human, not demon...not completely _kyuketsuki._ She seemed to have an earthly feel to her that was ethereal at the same time, something not even the greatest healers and spirit doctor's had.

One that was as powerful as that, however, would not have been afraid of a low class demon such as the one chasing her. And the look of pain that crossed her features after looking into his eyes puzzled him to no end.

He would have to question her when he returned, that was, if he ever left her side.

Rin watched him stare at the lady, amusement in her eyes as he forced himself to look away. Her young brain began to plot, but she would need help. Perhaps Kohaku, and his sister could help, maybe a few others as well. Who knows, after Sesshoumaru found a love, maybe he would let her have hers.

0

Neko paced the living room, biting her thumb as thoughts ran through her head. Six pair of eyes followed her, curious to her actions. There had to be some reason for Kyoki's disappearance other than the well. But it was impossible to find any other cause; the well was the only explanation. She growled out, distraught, and crossed her arms as she stopped in front of the group on the couch.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand how Kiko could get through the well, and I couldn't!" she exclaimed, obviously angry. Then an idea came to her. She walked to the phone, dialing Souta's number. A few moments later had everyone covering their ears. "Jon! What the hell are you?!"

Kagome and the boys waited while Nekkyo seethed on the receiver, until she nearly dropped when she heard Jon reply.

Neko set the phone down gently and turned to the others. "This—is not—good," she said at length. When she saw the questioning glances, she continued. "Jon is a vampire, and mixed with whatever Kyoki is does not make a very good match."

"Kyoki's human, isn't she?" Yususke asked, as confused as the others.

"Uhhh...No, not exactly. I'm not entirely sure _what_ she is, but I do know that it is a far cry from human. Very far."

"How do you know?" Inuyasha inquired.

"And why didn't she tell you?" Kuwabara queried.

"_She_ didn't even know what she was, so she _couldn't_ tell me, and how I found out what she was, well, let's just say I tracked down her pops. Young lookin' fella if ya' ask me. I thought he'd be in his fifties or sixties or something, but he still looked like he was in his twenties. Maybe he's demon or something, I don't know..."

Neko suddenly stood straight, eyes wide as she remembered something, a small, "Uh-oh," escaping her lips. She turned to Kagome, biting her lip and frowning.

"I think I know what she is, but it's not exactly what one would call 'good news', seeing as how it's forbidden for her kind to mix with something as unholy and unearthly as a vampire."

Nekkyo let the info sink into everyone's brains, as well as her own, while she concentrated on how she'd tell them what Kyoki was. In the end however, she just decided to blurt out, "Kiko is an Elvin daughter of the High Council. Her mother and father were banished, though, because they, too, were forbidden. You see, her mother was a pureblooded 'golden' elf--silver hair, blue eyes, pale complexion and all. Her father, however, wasn't pure. He was half dark elf, half elemental fey. And...that means she's _not_ telekinetic! She was just controlling the wind in the room...! This is not good...She has _major_ power and she can't control it one bit."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, "do you think you can go ask Sesshoumaru and Kouga to keep an eye out for her? And Miroku, too? He'd definitely notice someone like her, even though he's got Sango."

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha muttered as he turned to the door, not wanting to ask his brother or the mangy wolf for help.


	5. Chapter Five

**LUNACY AND EXCITEMENT**

**Chapter Five**

Sesshoumaru wasn't exactly happy when his brother suddenly appeared, bringing news to be on the look out for some idiotic girl traveling around alone in the feudal era with uncontrollable power. He was surprised however, when Inuyasha didn't pick up on the girls' scent that practically covered him. Truth be told, he kind of liked it.

He walked in the opposite direction his annoying half-brother had taken, almost desperate that they wouldn't run into each other again. Rin was probably worried by now; the girl probably not even recovered from the poison of the spiders.

She intrigued him. Not human, but nothing he had ever come across before. She couldn't possibly be Kyuketsuki: he knew that scent. He would have to inquire about it when she awoke.

He made his way back to the clearing he had left them in, speedily crossing the miles between. What he heard surprised him. Both of the girls were awake, and laughing away joyously as if there were nothing wrong in the world. Sesshoumaru watched them from between the trees.

"...Yes, and it is very funny because he is really afraid of Lord Sesshoumaru, but he tries not to show it. He is always coming to see me, but I do not think my lord likes it very much," Rin laughed, shaking her head. "If you think that is funny, you should see the days when he feels brave! He will try to sneak past my lord, though he rarely succeeds! When he does, he feels it is quite the feat, though I just think Sesshoumaru is letting him do it for his own reasons."

"Do you tell him?" Kiko asked, halting her laughter.

"I don't know if my lord would allow it," Rin suddenly said, serious.

"I think you should tell this Sesshoumaru lord that you love...the..." Kiko stopped talking, smelling something strange in the air. It was familiar, but she wasn't sure what it was. She turned towards the woods, seeing a flash of white that suddenly consumed her vision. Looking up, she saw her savior from before. "Whoa, tall." _Where were you when I went to school, _she thought, thinking about her high school, where the majority of people were on the shorter side. She had never liked feeling tall.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin suddenly exclaimed, standing up as fast as she could, which seemed to be a mistake: she lost her equilibrium and was about to fall flat on her backside when a boy mysteriously popped up out of nowhere to catch her in his arms.

They seemed to be lost in each others eyes for a long moment, Sesshoumaru lightly growling at them, until Kiko loudly cleared her throat, motioning towards the towering demon standing above all of them.

"Daddy's a bit overprotective, isn't he?" she whispered to the couple, completely aware that Sesshoumaru could hear her. 'Daddy' raised a brow at her, looking down at her like she was crazy and foolish. She only smiled childishly up at him, wrinkling her nose in a cute way while squinting her eyes.

Kiko was about to stand, but hesitated, almost sure that she would fall just as Rin had. She ignored herself, just as she had done many times before, and slowly stood; Lord Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Kohaku looked on amused. As she settled herself on her feet, she thought that perhaps she wouldn't collapse, and let out a large breath she wasn't aware she had been holding.

Sesshoumaru knew what was happening, but made no move to stop her fall. After another glance as the small 'gown' she wore, he thought better about it. She landed in his arms once more, staring up into his golden gaze again, but this time, she didn't receive the overwhelming emotions that came with it.

_I can come to like this,_ all four of them thought in unison and blushing deeply.

"Ummm...Lord Sesshoumaru," Kohaku broke in suddenly, clearing his throat and finally letting go of Rin, though rather reluctantly. "I ask your permission to travel with you. If not that, then to escort Rin, while you are away, of course."

Sesshoumaru saw Rin's pleading smile, and knew he would not be able to deny her Kohaku's companionship. He bowed his head in acceptance, almost touching foreheads with the girl in his arms; his nose was buried in her hair, and he breathed in her scent.

"You're demon, aren't you?" Kiko asked him, already knowing the answer. Her question brought him out of his thoughts of moonlight lotus and cresting waterfalls. "You're Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, correct? Inuyasha's half-brother who absolutely hates his...guts? You're Lord Fluffy-sama, right?"

Sesshoumaru nearly choked when her heard the last interrogative, and he could tell Rin and Kohaku were about to burst out in laughter. Where had she heard that strange nickname?

Kiko leaned her head back again, smiling childishly once more. "Kagome told me," she told him nonchalantly. "But that was a long time ago. You know, I have a cobra back home named Fluffy! He's really nice! Except when the Jehovah's Witness' come around, then they all go running! My nee-chan's mom used to have a Burmese—I think it was a Burmese—and she was about eleven foot, and she scared all the J.W. people away! And then..."

Sesshoumaru silenced her with a finger set upon her lips, amusement playing deep set within his golden eyes. Kiko felt the growl vibrating in his chest, and she wanted to laugh from the feeling it made down her back. She wriggled in his grasp, but he didn't let go.

"I think it best that we move on," he told the small group emotionlessly, his arm still around Kiko's waist, which was not going unnoticed by Rin and Kohaku.

Walking over to Ah-Un, he kicked the sleeping Jaken, successfully waking him, and let him know that they were going. Rin and Kohaku gathered themselves onto the large, two-headed dragon's back, and the short imp following closely behind his Lord.

Kiko wondered what was going to happen, when she was answered by a large gust of wind, a large rust-colored cloud lifting the three of them into the sky, the others following closely behind. A wave of fear ran through her as she looked down, the trees far below them. Being in an airplane was okay, but this was downright scary! Unknowingly, she grabbed hold of the nearest thing: Sesshoumaru.

Her arms wrapped themselves around his waste, holding him tight in fear of falling. She could barely hear Jaken's outburst as her head was buried inside of kimono, the white silk and cool smoothness of it brushing against her cheek.

Several chills made their way up and down her spine, and, looking down, she realized for the first time since the night before what exactly she was wearing. She looked back up, burying her bright red face once more in Sesshoumaru's chest.

_I am going to _kill _Neko,_ she told herself, growling at her so-called Sister-chan.

Inuyasha grumbled as he slammed the door of the well house closed. After the run-in with his brother, he had to go talk to the mangy wolf. It really didn't meet to either of their liking. Kouga had been running around, 'teaching' his pups how to hunt, when Inuyasha popped up, telling him something about some damned female and the stupid powers she had, but wasn't supposed to. He hadn't really listened, until he told the wolf prince that the 'request' to look for Kiko had come from Kagome.

The monk hadn't been reluctant at all, but he received a good beating from Sango, who was five months pregnant, meaning she was prone to major mood swings. Good thing Inuyasha didn't have to deal with that...yet.

He stomped into the kitchen, wondering why the heck all of the girls were giggling and sighing. _'Great,'_ he thought rather dryly, _'Another girly scene to deal with.'_

As he made himself known, all the females in the room became silent, looking at Kagome, almost seeming to persuade her of something. He raised a brow, standing rather impatiently with his foot tapping on the linoleum floor. His wife hesitated a moment before finally coming to her senses. Taking him by the arm, she led him away from the mass of femininity to the living room, where they could have a little bit of privacy.

"So," she began, trying to control her breathing. Inuyasha thought it was because of the laughter from before his arrival. "Did you find anything out about Kyoko?"

He shook his head. "No, but Sesshoumaru did smell weird. And he wasn't his usual self. He seemed in a hurry to get back to somewhere—or someone. And Kouga didn't know anything, but he said he'd keep an eye out for her, though it was highly unlikely with the amount of pups crawling all over him. You should know Miroku's answer already, even though he was beat up by Sango. A pregnant women beating up a monk doesn't seem as funny as when you hear about it until you finally see it."

Nekkyo walked in, already hearing Inuyasha's explanation. "Well, my theory is that your brother kidnapped her and is using her as his _personal_ slave."

"Get your mind out of the gutter!" husband and wife both yelled simultaneously.

"Sesshoumaru isn't exactly one to go for the human girls," Inuyasha added. When he saw Nekkyo about to protest about Kyoki's humanity, he quickly intercepted her. "I know she's not human! But knowing my brother, he probably didn't notice her strange scent. I even thought she was human!"

"You're not the Demon Lord of the Western Lands, now, are you?" Neko asked haughtily, her hands on her hips.

"How did you even come to the conclusion Lord Sesshoumaru was using her as his personal slave?" Kagome inquired, completely confused.

"Uh...Well, I once bought her this really...uh...not-so-modest nightshirt, and I bet her that she would never wear it. She was wearing it last night. In all honesty, if I was a guy, or turned that way, I would have picked her up as...that's probably why he was in a hurry to get back to her! To go...!"

Kagome quickly cut her off, however, before she could finish the unruly statement, by clamping her hand over Neko's mouth; her palm was rewarded with a tongue-lashing. Pulling away, she wrinkled her nose and wiped her offended appendage off on her jeans.

"...Get some of that!" Neko quickly edited. They were all completely aware of what she was going to say; they only hoped she wasn't correct, or at least Sesshoumaru—if he was the one who had her—did not do anything...ill mannered to Kiko.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE) Well, there's chapter five! I'm a little surprised at the amount of reviews—or rather lack thereof—but I still continuing to type, even though it took a while for me to type this one. I think it turned out well though! Please review! I still want to know what you think...I need some feedback!

As for the disclaimer: you should already know it.

Sayounara!


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that I do not own, so I cannot have anything that I do not have.**

CHAPTER SIX

They were almost there, and Kiko let out a grateful sigh. She was beginning to chill, but only down to the bone, so there was nothing _really _important to worry about. She was just fine…except for the shivering she couldn't seem to control, and the whole freezing part! She could see white puffs of smoke every time she let out a breath, and her teeth were beginning to rattle. One thing she knew never to do ever again: fly wearing minimal clothing…like the skimpy nightgown Neko bought for her.

She growled, trying to gain more body heat from Sesshoumaru, holding him as close as she possibly could. Looking back, she could see Rin and Kohaku supposedly trying to do as she was: gain warmth. She snorted. The only thing they probably wanted to do was snuggle, among other things. They were teenagers after all. She clucked her tongue at them, knowing they couldn't hear, but Sesshoumaru could.

"What?" she asked as he looked down at her with a questioning gaze. He followed her focus of attention, seeing the two young lovebirds on Ah-Un's back. A growl resounded throughout his chest.

"Leave 'em be…" she stammered, almost positive her lips and fingers were blue, if not her entire body. "We'll be landing soon, right?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

"Will there be anything warm nearby, like a hot, hot springs or an erupting volcano where I can either boil or fry to a nice warm crisp?"

"There will be a hot springs," he stated simply.

"I know the first thing I'm doin' then!"

"And what would that be?" he inquired.

"I…am going to melt! Or at the very least get _warm_ blood flowing in and out of my arteries and veins instead of the ice crystals that have been forming since we took off!"

He looked at her, amusement playing in his golden eyes as he looked down at her again. He couldn't help the little smile that found it's way up to his lips. He continued to listen to her, rambling on.

"...and if there are any spiders there, they'd better hope they stay unseen. I'm really not up to sharing a bath with anymore eight-legged creatures. I've had enough of that!"

As soon as they landed, she did just as she told him, she made a beeline straight for the hot springs, after Sesshoumaru pointed her in the right direction, of course; Rin soon followed.

By the time she got there, Kiko was already in, swimming around rather happily, and motioning Rin to join her.

"I see you're enjoying this," she said, getting in as well.

"Oh yeah! You better believe it! The only thing I'm not looking forward to is getting out…"

"Well," Rin supplied. "We should be back at the castle by tomorrow, so you won't have to wear _that_ for much longer," she said, motioning to the forgotten nightgown laying on a rock next to her kimono.

"I hope _never_ to wear _that_ again. The next time I see Neko, I'm going to kill her! She's always complaining that I never wear what she gives me, and the first time I do, I end up…_here_, in a place I have no idea where."

* * *

On the other side of the well sat a certain brooding hanyou, sitting up in the God Tree, muttering about the antics of crazy, hormonal women. Jumping when a familiar scent hit his nose, almost making him fall out off of the branch, he suddenly realized something.

"Kagome!" he yelled, bursting into the kitchen. "Kagome, I think I know who she's with!"

Nekkyo suddenly jumped at him, grabbing a hold of his shirt with both fists, she started shaking him. "Where?! Where the hell is she?!"

"Neko-chan, you may want to let go of him," Kagome said calmly, her hands still in the soapy water, still scrubbing away at the dirty dishes.

Appeasing Kagome, Neko let Inuyasha go, and it was a few minutes before he regained his momentum.

"I think she's with…Sesshoumaru," he explained as he teetered over into a chair at the kitchen table.

"Hey!" Neko exclaimed, her fists pounding the table. "Isn't he your psycho brother?"

"Actually," replied Kagome, drying her hands on a dishtowel and coming over to them. "He's only Inuyasha's half-brother, and he's not as psycho as he used to be. They can at least stand each other, anyway."

"I don't care who the hell he is! I'm going down there right now, and I'm taking dog-boy with me!"

"Okay," called Kagome, returning to the sink. "Just be back for dinner!"

Making her way to the well house, pulling Inuyasha along with her, she suddenly met the chest of a red-haired spirit detective. Looking up to face him, she grinned sheepishly as he raised an eyebrow; then she grabbed his hand and jumped into the well. Surprisingly, a purplish-blue light surrounded them, and then they were sitting at the bottom, looking into a blue sky.

Neko let out a whoop of joy, jumping up as she began to climb up the vines lining the walls of the well, the others following closely behind her. Inuyasha in the lead, he led the to a small village a short ways away. Soon, however, a certain monk confronted them.

"Ah, Inuyasha. I see you have brought more visitors, and what lo—"

"Hey, you must be Miroku, right?" Neko asked, a devilish smile taking place upon her face. "You're married to the demon exterminator Sango, right? Well, I have a question to ask you: Would you bare my children?"

Miroku's jaw suddenly went slack, Inuyasha collapsed out of laughter, and Kurama just stood there, trying to hold back his chuckling.

"I guess that's a 'no', huh?" Neko continued, trying to convince them that she was sad. "I've tried that question so many times, and nobody ever answers…hmph!" She tripped over Inuyasha, taking Kurama down with her, and the trio just laughed harder, those whom had heard doing so as well.

**A/N: **Sorry I haven't updated in so long, I've been caught in several stories, and I am proud to say I have finally finished _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_, after putting it off for three times since I first bought it…Anyway, I couldn't help but put Neko asking Miroku The Question. I came up with it when I was Instant Messaging my friend whom I semi-based Neko on. I've also been working on several stories, though I don't often post those. My fanfic "Hybrids, Foxes, and Spirit Detectives" already has ten chapters, and I am working on the eleventh, as I am working on the seventh of this one. I will try to post as soon as I can. Thank you for the reviews:

kasumi the vampire queen

and

Witchcraftwinter


	7. Chapter Seven

**DISCLAIMER: _I own nothing that I do not own, and that is final._**

**Thank you to my reviewers:**

_**Kohaku Piers**_

_**Bookwormloverjen**_

_**Witchcraft winter**_

_**Kasumi the vampire queen**_

I'm REALLY, REALLY, REALLY sorry! I would have had this posted earlier, but I kind of forgot that I had posted it. Stupid, yeah? I'm kind of stuck in a jam, now. I've sort of lost my flow for my Inuyasha fics, and my brain is completely dried up for them now. (I've been drawn into Naruto by my friends!) I'm sorry! Since it's summer, I'm going to try to work on these stories more, but I'm not going to make any promises…

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The castle reached up high into the sky, surrounded by firs and pines and green meadows spotted with wild flowers of every color imaginable. A tall gate made its way around the outside, guards posted at the entrance.

Kyoki sighed as the castle approached, both for its warmth and its beauty. Glancing up at Lord Sesshoumaru, she was partially glad that he hadn't noticed Rin and Kohaku were again being lovey-dovey on the back of Ah-Un, following the cloud she, Jaken, and Sesshoumaru rode upon.

"You should really give him a chance," she told him. He looked down at her, confused, before looking over his shoulder, a feral and dangerous growl reverberating throughout his whole being, his eyes flickering red.

Without thinking about what she was doing, or to whom she was doing it to, Kiko grabbed his chin with her hand, forcing him to look her in the face.

"They _love _each other, more so than I've seen any couple do in a long while. If you can't see that, you're a fool. If you can't allow yourself to let her have it, you're even crazier than me, which is saying a lot."

He continued to growl, trying to pull away from her rather strong grasp, but failed as she forced him closer to him, their noses mere inches apart. She stood upon her toes, her mouth moving up to his ear.

"Personally, I think they belong together," she whispered, sending unknown chills down Sesshoumaru's spine.

He glanced at her, seeing the answer in her eyes as he turned his attention back upon the fast encroaching castle before them; Kiko was still staring at the couple.

She knew he was trying to ignore them, ignore her, but didn't care. Forgetting once more her manners, she grabbed his pointed ear, pushing his face to look back at the couple.

They looked so cute, sitting there together. Rin, soundly asleep, was wrapped around Kohaku, her face buried in the crook of his neck as his arms encircled her. Sesshoumaru and Kyoki watched on wordlessly as he slowly and carefully bent his head down, lightly brushing Rin's lips with his own, and then placing his head upon her own, sighing as he continued to watch her sleep.

"Every father has to let his little girl grow up sometime," Kiko told Sesshoumaru quietly, turning to face him once more. "Just be glad it was this late. And it's with someone she loves as much as her Daddy. Maybe even more."

There was a grim smile plastered upon her face, one he didn't quite understand. He was so close, his nose almost touching hers, their breath mingling, he saw every color and emotion flicker within her blazing red eyes.

Without realizing she was doing, Kyoki slowly began massaging the back of his ear and neck, her fingers tangling in his long silver hair, their proximity never changing as they continued to stare at each other in a silent battle of the wills.

She couldn't help as a light-hearted laugh escaped her lips as she heard the low rumbling that definitely wasn't a growl resound throughout the noble lord's throat.

She smiled up at him, watching as his half-lidded, golden eyes met her own, a single fang protruding from his lip, her other hand joining in his pleasurable procedure. "I didn't know dogs purred," she spoke, her voice as playful as his own as he answered her.

"We do when we like it."

He was leaning forward now, and she was almost sure that Nekkyo could hear his purr on the other side of the well by now. A low moan escaped his lips as he abruptly stood, her hands moving away from the back of his head to hang at her sides.

They would be landing soon, and the soldiers would be surprised to see the young demon lord at his weakest by the mere fingers of a seemingly human girl only a few years older than his young charge.

Just before the cloud dissipated and their feet hit the ground, Sesshoumaru mumbled something that brought a deep crimson blush upon Kiko's cheeks. It was in that same tone she had used earlier, if not a little more so.

"I may have to keep you around for a little while longer than intended."

The hilarities of the first day had never seemed to end as Neko and Kurama had been introduced to everyone; Sango had especially taken a liking to Nekkyo after hearing about the small 'incident', taking Miroku's pride right out the door as he scowled at his wife and her new-found friend.

They stayed that night at the village, Inuyasha promising to venture out in a three-person search party for Kyoki at the crack of dawn the next morning; he didn't want to wander too far from Kagome this night, for fear she might need him to help keep the other boys under control.

They all went to sleep directly after dinner, though Neko was having a few problems with her positioning, and kept on rolling and flipping over, huffing each time she landed on her back. Kurama could only describe her in one word.

"You're restless," he whispered gently as he crawled over to her in the dark. "Why can't you sleep? Are you worried about Kyoki?"

Neko sighed, nodding her head in reluctance. She was tired, but she couldn't find a nice spot on the floor for herself. "Yeah," she told him as he seated himself beside her, both of their backs against the wall of the hut, then hitting the floor beside her with her knuckles, she added menacingly, "And I can't get comfortable. I don't see how you could."

He chuckled a bit. "I'm used to uncomfortable situations."

"Well, then, if you don't mind, I'm going to use you as a pillow. Maybe I'll be able to get a few winks outta that."

She laid her head on his shoulder, curling up to his side as she slowly drifted off, missing the golden eyes staring at her, the red hair slowly turning silver in the moonlight that drifted through the window about their heads.

Dawn passed without a thought, followed by a few hours more as everyone slept. Inuyasha was beginning to get impatient. After all, he had said that he would wake up at dawn, which he had done, to begin looking for Kiko, though he was sure he knew where she was. It was only waiting for Neko that was making him curse out at everything that moved.

A loud scream pierced the air, making his ears flatten against his head as he ran for Miroku and Sango's hut. _'I bet the monk did something bad again,' _he thought as he burst through the door.

The sight that met him was not one he had expected, considering the silver kitsune sitting in the same spot Neko had been sitting when he had left last night, nursing a red cheek as he pouted, the same exact look Miroku always had when he got slapped. Inuyasha half-expected him to say, "It was worth the pain."

"What the hell happened!" he shouted, surprising everyone in the room; the kitsune remaining as he was, bottom lip sticking out as fake tears welled in his golden eyes.

Inuyasha turned toward Neko, who was as far away from the fox as she could get, holding her hands protectively over her chest. Inuyasha could only raise his eyebrow, trying to hold back a laugh as he watched her seethe.

"It wasn't funny!" she exclaimed, shaking in rage. "How would you feel if you woke up to some strange man pressed up as tightly as he could get to you…" She seemed to rethink for a moment, before stating, "Why am I even asking you?"

Shaking her head, she stomped her foot, giving Fox-Boy a death glare that could rival the sharpness of a cat's claws. "For goodness sake! He was nuzzling…my…my _chest_! I don't even know who you are!"

Neko couldn't help but feel flustered now as he let a perverted grin leer over her, admiring Mother Nature's work.

"Oh, but you do know me," he told her, slowly standing to his full height. Neko gulped audibly as she stared up at him. "Youko Kurama." He leaned down, his mouth almost touching her ear, sending shivers throughout the whole of her body. "I really admired you the other day, when you came running downstairs…"

He trailed off, and she swallowed again, almost whimpering as he pulled away. Youko smirked at her, noticing her sudden uneasiness. The rest in the room all had confused looks as they watched the display before them.

Youko quirked a brow. "Are we looking for Kyoki, or not?"

A/N: That's all I have for now, and I'll update as soon as I possibly can. I would have updated this chapter earlier, if not for my friend (internet-hog) who got a new boyfriend for Christmas: a laptop. Almost every time I see her, if she's not driving her new truck, she's sitting on the couch doing something or other with her laptop. --' Sometimes I wonder if she's engaged to it…

Anyway, please review! I want to know how well it's going!


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